[PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING]
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>> IT'S CONVENED IN OPEN SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM HOLMER WHO IS AT A CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHELBY WILLIAMS.
>> HE'LL BE HERE FOR THE REGULAR MEETING.
THE COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IN THE CHILDREN'S PROGRAM ROOM TO HOLD A CLOSED EXECUTIVE MEETING PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF VERNON'S TEXAS CODES ANNOTATED GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551, THE OPENING MEETINGS ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN SECTION 551071 TO CONSULT WITH THE ATTORNEY, RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE, AND DISCUSS LITIGATION, AND SECTION 551072 TO DISCUSS REAL ESTATE MATTERS.
THANK YOU. I NOW DECLARE THE PLANO CITY COUNCIL PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING IS RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION AND THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM JULIE HOLMER WILL BE ON ZOOM.
OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE PRELIMINARY AGENDAS IS CONSIDERATION AND ACTION RESULTING FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT, THE REWRITE ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR. LIAISONS.
>> I WAS JUST LOOKING AT MARIA.
SORRY. MARIA AND I DISCUSSED, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT BENNETT RATLIFF AS CHAIR.
>> I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND TO APPOINT BENNETT RATLIFF AS CHAIR OF THE REWRITE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HANDS.
>> FOR THE REWRITE ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR, DO WE WANT THE APPOINTEE TO BE FROM PLANNING & ZONING GIVEN THAT THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE MAY END UP BEING ALSO THE NEXT CHAIR OF PLANNING & ZONING?
>> I DON'T SEE A CONFLICT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL RELATED TO THE PLANNING & ZONING FOR THE CITY.
UNLESS YOU FIND THAT THERE'S SOME TYPE OF CONFLICT THAT I'M JUST NOT SEEING.
>> CHRISTINA, DO YOU SEE AN ISSUE WITH THAT? I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
IF YOU DON'T MIND VOTING AGAIN.
ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION PASSES. HOW DO YOU VOTE? I SEE YOU, JULIE.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM, THE LEGACY/GRANITE PROPERTY OWNER SENTIMENT SURVEY. DOUG.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AS YOU REMEMBER, THIS IS A PROJECT WE REALLY STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH DOUG MCDONALD IS REALLY ADDRESSING A LOT OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN THE BUSINESS PARK, REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF OUR SITE SELECTORS, BROKERS, PROPERTY OWNERS.
THIS COMES RIGHT ON THE HEEL OF THE CITY ADOPTING A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AS PART OF THAT, WE HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND FELT LIKE IT WAS TIME FOR THE CITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS, THE WANTS, AND THE CONCERNS OF THE FOLKS OUT IN THE BUSINESS PARK.
BUT AS WE'VE DONE WITH OUR LISTENING TOUR, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID THIS IN A WAY THAT REALLY CAPTURED THE FEEDBACK AND THE SENTIMENT OF THAT WITHOUT NECESSARILY PUTTING OUR FINGERPRINTS ON IT.
WE ENGAGED FREESE AND NICHOLS TO GO OUT AND DO SOME SURVEYING FOR US AND REALLY CAPTURE THE SENTIMENT OF THE BUSINESS PARK TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS STAYS PROSPEROUS AND WHAT THEIR OPINIONS ARE FOR REALLY MAKING IT SUCCESSFUL GOING FORWARD.
WITH THAT, WE'LL TURN IT OVER.
WENDY WITH FREESE AND NICHOLS WILL GO AHEAD AND START SHARING WHAT THEY FOUND OUT WITH THAT SENTIMENT SURVEY.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
I'M WENDY BONNEAU WITH FREESE AND NICHOLS.
I HEAD OUR URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN GROUP.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE FIRM 20 YEARS.
I HAVE BEHIND ME DAVID JONES, PROJECT MANAGER ON THIS.
AS YOU KNOW, FREESE AND NICHOLS HAS HAD THE PLEASURE OF DOING SOME OTHER PLANNING WORK FOR YOU, AS WE'RE WORKING ON THE CODE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS HAS BEEN A VERY COOL ASSIGNMENT
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FOR US BECAUSE IT WAS VERY NEAT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GO IN AND ASK THE OPINIONS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK AND ARE ON THE GROUND EVERY DAY RATHER THAN GOING IN AND DOING A PLAN AND MAKE AN ASSUMPTIONS.I'LL GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT SUMMARY IS, OUR METHODOLOGY, WHAT THE THINGS WE HEARD WERE.
THEN DAVID WILL GO THROUGH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OUR TAKEAWAYS.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS, WE LOOK AT THIS YELLOW AREA, IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE LEGACY AREA IN GRANITE PARK, BOTH EAST AND WEST SIDES, AND LOOKING AT TALKING TO THE OWNERS AND THE TENANTS TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS AREA, WHAT TRENDS IN OFFICE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THIS AREA VIBRANT.
WE KNOW WE'RE DOING A LOT OF COMPETING WITH OTHER CITIES.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO IN THIS AREA? TELL US WHAT THEY SEE ON THE GROUND AND WHAT THEY NEED, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TENANTS TO THE AREA.
SOME OF THE DRIVING FACTORS OF THIS, LEGACY/GRANITE PARK IS A VERY POPULAR AREA.
WE ONLY HAVE A FEW REMAINING VACANT PARCELS, SO WE WANT TO BE REALLY SMART AS YOU'RE DOING FUTURE PLANNING ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH THOSE AREAS.
WE DO HAVE A SURPLUS OF VACANT OFFICE RIGHT NOW, WHICH YOU'RE NOT ALONE IN THAT.
THAT'S A TREND THAT'S GOING ON EVERYWHERE.
HOW DO WE LOOK AT THAT? IS THERE MASTER PLANNING COMPONENTS RIGHT NOW? THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LOOKS AT A HIGH LEVEL.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS AREA FROM A BROAD BRUSH, YOU THINK OF PLANO, AND THEN YOU THINK OF THIS LEGACY AREA.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS LOOKING AT A BROAD BRUSH.
IT'S GENERALLY AN OFFICE AREA.
BUT WHEN YOU GET DOWN INTO A FINER GRAIN DETAIL, WHAT DOES THIS AREA NEED TO BE? THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAY NOT ADDRESS SOME OF THE SPECIFICITY ON SOME OF THOSE IDEAS.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WITH THIS STUDY.
METHODOLOGY FOR THIS PARTICULAR THING IS WE DID A KICK-OFF MEETING.
THIS WAS PRETTY SHORT AND SWEET PROJECT.
WE THEN DID A ONLINE SURVEY, AS WELL AS STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS.
THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE BRINGING THAT DATA TO YOU TONIGHT.
AGAIN, GEOGRAPHICALLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS AREA, WE'RE LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES.
CITY STAFF HELPED US PUT THIS TOGETHER.
THE YELLOW AREA ON THIS MAP IS VACANT AREA.
THOSE BLUE DOTS ARE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE VACANCY WITHIN BUILDINGS.
WE SEE MORE BIGGER BLUE DOTS UP THERE THAN WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE TODAY.
JUST PUTTING SOME OF THAT TOGETHER.
THEN THE GREEN HASHED AREA IS WHERE THERE COULD BE UNDEVELOPED LAND IN A PARTICULAR SITE, ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
IT MAY BE STAY GREEN SPACE TODAY, BUT AS THOSE DEVELOP, THAT COULD BECOME LAND THAT BECOMES USABLE.
DURING THE SURVEY, WE TALKED TO 18 DIFFERENT COMPANIES WITHIN THIS AREA THAT REPRESENTED ABOUT 28 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.
SOME OF THOSE MEETING HAD MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
YOU CAN SEE UP THERE JUST A LIST OF THE TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT WE INTERVIEWED AND GOT THEIR OPINION.
THANKFULLY, WE HAD OVER 50% OF THE OWNERS PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD GAUGE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED.
WANTED TO KNOW THEIR IMPRESSIONS OF THE AREA, WHAT WAS THEIR SENTIMENT IN THE OFFICE AREA, WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO MAINTAIN OR PRESERVE, WHAT DO THEY NEED MORE OF, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT THEY'RE SEEING, THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO DART AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, AND WHAT SHOULD THE CITY FOCUS ON.
AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS AREA AND THINK ABOUT KNOWING THAT CHANGES ARE HAPPENING, WHAT SHOULD WE BE FOCUSED ON? THESE ARE EITHER SPECIFIC QUOTES OR THINGS THAT WE HEARD OVER AND OVER WHEN WE WERE DOING THESE INTERVIEWS, AND SOME OF THIS IS ECHOED IN THE SURVEY THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET.
WE BROKE IT DOWN INTO THREE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS.
TALKING ABOUT THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, THAT LEGACY IS STILL A PREMIER LOCATION. THAT'S GREAT.
MANY OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID THEY WOULD INVEST HERE AGAIN TODAY IF THEY WERE DOING IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
SOME OWNERS DO WANT TO DOWNSIZE, BUT THEY WANT TO STAY IN THE AREA.
THERE IS A HIGH VACANCY AND LOW DEMAND RIGHT NOW, OTHER THAN FOR OFFICE THAT IS CLASS A PLUS, MEANING THAT PEOPLE WANT AN EXPERIENCE.
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THE JOB IS OFTEN NOW COMPETING WITH THE HOME.IF YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AT HOME AND YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT THERE BESIDE YOU, THEN THE OFFICES ARE REALLY HAVING TO UP THEIR GAME AND BE ABLE TO ATTRACT TENANT SPACE THERE.
WE WANT FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO BLEND HOME AND WORK.
THAT IS A TREND THAT IS NOT LIKELY GOING AWAY.
I THINK EVERYBODY REITERATED, EVEN THOUGH THOSE THAT HAD A WORK REMOTE POLICY WANT THEM TO COME BACK, STILL, I THINK THE HYBRID WORK REMOTE POLICY IS HERE TO STAY.
I THINK WE CAN COUNT ON PROBABLY NOT NEEDING AS MUCH OFFICE, NOT NEEDING AS MUCH PARKING, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT IS JUST PROBABLY MORE OF A SHORT-TERM ISSUE IS A LACK OF PRIVATE CAPITAL IN THE OFFICE MARKET RIGHT NOW.
MOST OF THEM SAID THAT WILL LIKELY CHANGE.
THAT'S JUST WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE OF WEEKEND ACTIVITY AND NIGHT LIFE.
WE SEE THAT IN PARTS OF LEGACY EAST, AND WE SEE THAT IN PARTS OF LEGACY WEST, OF COURSE.
BUT IT'S A LARGE AREA, AND SO MORE THINGS, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THOSE AREAS.
YOU HAVE VERY STRONG COMPETITION FROM UPTOWN, DALLAS, FRISCO.
NO SURPRISE TO YOU ALL, IRVING, GRANDSCAPE.
THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION GOING ON, AND SO BEING ABLE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT, KNOWING OFFICE IS CHANGING AND PROBABLY IS NOT GOING TO COME BACK TO THE FULL EXTENT THAT WHAT WE SAW IN THE PAST BECAUSE THAT MARKET IS SOFT.
THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE KEY THINGS THAT STAKEHOLDERS SAID FROM A PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, SOME OF THE OLDER OFFICE SPACES BUILD-TO-SUIT AND SPEC OFFICES IN LEGACY ARE OBSOLETE.
DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THAT WAS THAT OLD AGAIN WHEN THOSE WERE BUILT, BUT THE DEMANDS OF THE OFFICE TODAY HAS REALLY CHANGED THAT.
THEY'D LIKE TO SEE A FOCUS ON IMPROVING WALKABILITY.
AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AREA AS A WHOLE, YOU THINK, IT'S WALKABLE, IT'S EASY TO GET AROUND, BUT IT'S REALLY AUTO-DOMINATED.
THAT WAS THE THING THAT WE HEARD A LOT.
COMPETITION FOR HIGHER TENANT DEMANDS, AS I MENTIONED, THAT CLASS AA PLUS PLUS SPACE.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SPECIAL AND CULTURAL EVENT PROGRAMMING AND MORE OPEN SPACE WITHIN THE AREA, PROGRAMMED OPEN SPACE, BEING ABLE TO PROGRAM THAT PROXIMITY TO HOUSING, NIGHTLIFE, AND ATMOSPHERE.
COMMUNITY PARKS AND OPEN SPACES.
REALLY, THAT SURPLUS OFFICE JUST CREATES DEAD ZONES OF ACTIVITY RIGHT NOW, AND SO HOW WE CAN BETTER IMPROVE THAT AND ACTIVATE THAT SPACE.
THEN THE LAST ONE IS JUST REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, WHICH GOOD TIMING, AGAIN, AS YOU DO UPDATE THE CODE.
THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME NUGGETS THAT WE HEARD THAT WE CAN TAKE FORWARD INTO THAT, BUT NEEDING FOR FLEXIBILITY.
AGAIN, AS THE OFFICE MARKETS CHANGE, BEING ABLE TO BRING IN NEW USES.
I KNOW YOU ALL BROUGHT IN SOME LIFE SCIENCE USES, IS A REALLY NEAT NEW IDEA THAT CAME IN, AND SO NOT KNOWING WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING TO REPLACE OFFICE, BEING ABLE TO BE FLEXIBLE IN YOUR USES.
THAT DART WAS GENERALLY UNDER UTILIZED.
THERE WERE A FEW THAT SAID, OUR EMPLOYEES NEED THAT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT WAS UNDERUTILIZED AND SOME DIDN'T THINK IT WAS PROBABLY USED AT ALL.
COULD BE, THOUGH, IF THERE WAS SOME REBRANDING AND RETHINKING ON THAT, AND THEN ALSO MORE ON-DEMAND LAST MILE CONNECTIONS SO THAT WHEN YOU LAND AND YOU GET OFF THE BUS, THEN YOU CAN GET IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR OFFICE SPACE.
CITY NEEDS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH ITS INCENTIVES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REGULATORY DELAYS AND PERMITTING AND MAKING THAT EASY BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITION OUT THERE.
ANOTHER THING THAT WAS MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES IS JUST A CONFERENCE AND EVENT SPACE.
NEED MORE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AND A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES FROM DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS.
PARKING REQUIREMENTS INHIBIT THE VALUE CREATION.
THEN SOME AREAS WITH THE SURPLUS OF OFFICE MAY NEED TO SHIFT AWAY FROM THAT USE.
ON THIS NEXT ONE, THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS, BUT WE LOOKED AT THOSE THREE BUCKETS, IF YOU WILL.
IF YOU READ THESE, NOT ONLY VERTICALLY, BUT ALSO JUST HORIZONTALLY, WE TRIED TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND HOW SOME OF THOSE KEY TAKEAWAYS ARE THEMES THAT WE HEARD, HOW THOSE RELATE.
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FOR EXAMPLE, THAT FIRST LINE, WE'VE GOT A HIGH VACANCY, AND THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF SOME OF THOSE OFFICES ARE OBSOLETE, SO WE NEED TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBLE USES.YOU CAN READ SOME OF THOSE HORIZONTALLY AND SEE HOW SOME OF THOSE LINE UP.
WITH THAT, THOSE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD REPEATEDLY.
I'M GOING TO LET DAVID GO QUICKLY THROUGH SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS.
>> SO THE GOAL OF THIS WAS NOT NECESSARILY TO COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A LISTENING EXERCISE.
BUT ON THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES, YOU'LL DEFINITELY START TO SEE AS WE GO THROUGH THE KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT THERE ARE SOME ACTION ITEMS, SOME THINGS TO PURSUE AND TO THINK ABOUT.
THE FIRST ONE THAT WE HEARD FROM THE LARGE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS THAT WE TALK TO WAS AN ASPECT OF WALKABILITY.
CERTAIN AREAS WITHIN LEGACY HAVE IT, LEGACY WEST, SHOPS AT LEGACY, BUT THE LARGE SHARE OF THE AREA DOES NOT HAVE A WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT.
EVEN AREAS WHERE THERE ARE SIDEWALKS, AND IN SOME PLACES SIDEWALKS ARE MISSING.
THERE'S AN AUTO DOMINATED ATMOSPHERE.
AND THERE'S TWO STREAMS OF THOUGHT FROM THAT.
ONE, WE HEARD PEOPLE DON'T WALK.
THEY GET TO THEIR OFFICE, THEY HAVE LUNCH AT THEIR DESK, OR THEY GET IN THEIR CAR AND THEY DRIVE TO LUNCH.
THEY'RE NOT WALKING FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
BUT ALSO THAT IT'S NOT WALKABLE.
SO HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT? THERE'S A PHYSICAL WAY OF ADDRESSING THAT THAT WAS IN LINE WITH THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAD AND THAT'S DENSIFYING, ADDING MIXED USE, ADDING RESIDENTIAL TO CLOSE IN THOSE GAPS, BUT ALSO TO CREATE THAT MORE WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT BY HAVING MORE PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREET, NOT JUST DURING OFFICE HOURS, BUT ALSO OFF HOURS IN THE EVENINGS TO CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT THAT IS DESIRED BY MANY OF THE TENANTS AND THE FOLKS WHO WORK IN LEGACY AND WHO LIVE IN LEGACY.
SO THE CITY HAS FOCUSED ON ADDING THOSE SIDEWALK CONNECTIONS, BUT THE MOMENTUM SHOULD KEEP GOING SO THAT THOSE CONNECTIONS ARE BEING MADE, AND THAT THEY'RE ALSO BEING MARRIED TO THE POTENTIAL LAND USE CHANGES THAT WOULD INFILL SOME OF THOSE SITES.
MARRIED TO THAT IS OPEN SPACE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PRAISE FOR THE NATURAL SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESERVED, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE HOSPITAL, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE PRIVATE OPEN SPACE, AND THAT'S RATHER FORMAL AND WELL MANICURED.
THAT WAS SEEN AS AN ASSET AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE BUILT UPON, BUT ALSO HAVING A MORE CENTRALIZED SPACE THAT IS CONNECTED TO THOSE OTHER GREEN SPACES THAT MAY BE PUBLICLY OWNED, IT MAY BE PRIVATELY OWNED BUT PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE, OR IT MAY BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH, HENCE, THE EXAMPLE OF KALEIDOSCOPE PARK.
BUT EVEN BEYOND THAT, USING THAT AS A WOW FACTOR FOR THE DISTRICT, USING THAT AS A GATHERING PLACE FOR LEGACY AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT IN A MOMENT IN ANOTHER SLIDE.
BUT TRAFFIC WAS ANOTHER KEY TAKEAWAY AND CIRCLED OF TWO LOCATIONS, BOTH ALONG LEGACY DRIVE, ONE AT THE TOLL ROAD, AND THE OTHER ONE AT HEADQUARTERS WERE TWO PIN POINTS THAT CAME UP MULTIPLE TIMES FROM MULTIPLE TENANTS SO THAT AS PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO COME BACK TO THE OFFICE OR AS COMPANIES ARE CONTEMPLATING BRINGING MORE PEOPLE BACK TO THE OFFICE, THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT THERE BEING TRAFFIC ISSUES AND BACKUPS, PARTICULARLY ALONG THE TOLLWAY OR AS YOU'RE COMING IN OFF OF 121.
AND AS NEW LAND USE CHANGES WERE CONTEMPLATED, PARTICULARLY MULTI FAMILY, CERTAIN COMPANIES WERE HESITANT TO EMBRACE THOSE CHANGES BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THAT IT WOULD HAVE ON TRAFFIC CIRCULATION, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE AREAS THAT LED TO A LOT OF THE CONCERN ABOUT DENSIFYING THOSE AREAS.
THAT COULD BE INTERPRETED AS, WELL, WE WANT TO KEEP THIS OFFICE, AND WE DID HEAR THAT FROM CERTAIN FOLKS THAT WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE OFFICE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE KEY REASONS BEHIND WHY THAT WAS SEEN AS A CONCERN.
RELATED TO THAT, AS WENDY MENTIONS, DART AGAIN, IS NOT WIDELY USED EITHER TO GET TO LEGACY OR TO GET AROUND WITHIN LEGACY OR GRANITE PARK.
CERTAIN COMPANIES HAVE VENTURED OUT ON THEIR OWN TO CREATE MICROTRANSIT SYSTEMS. APEX BEING ONE EXAMPLE THAT WE HEARD HAS HAD SOME RECENT SUCCESS.
BUT THERE WAS A GENERAL DESIRE TO SUPPLEMENT ANY SERVICE THAT GETS PEOPLE TO AND FROM LEGACY BY HAVING SOMETHING THAT CIRCULATES PEOPLE WITHIN LEGACY THAT IS RELIABLE, MAY START AT CERTAIN DESIGNATED STOPS.
IT MAY BE ON DEMAND, BUT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE USED TO GET PEOPLE IN AND AROUND.
BUT AGAIN, HAVING THAT KIND OF CRITICAL MASS, IT DOESN'T JUST DEPEND ON OFFICE WORKERS,
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BUT HAS A POPULATION THAT USES THAT SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S DURING THE WEEKDAYS OR ON THE WEEKENDS.MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, AS WAS ALREADY MENTIONED, WE WANTED TO PUT THIS QUOTE FROM ONE OF THE FOLKS WHO WE INTERVIEWED, 54% OF OFFICE WORKERS PREFER TO HAVE THEIR WORK AND THEIR HOME LIFE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY SO THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BLENDING BETWEEN THE TWO SO THAT THE THINGS YOU CAN GET FROM WORKING AT HOME, YOU DON'T GIVE UP WHEN YOU GO TO WORK.
THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY'RE IN THE SAME BUILDING, BUT THAT THEY'RE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO RELY SO MUCH ON A CAR TO GET AROUND IN CERTAIN AREAS OF LEGACY THAT WHERE THERE'S EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT IT'S UNDER UTILIZED.
THAT COULD BE A POSITIVE CHANGE WITHIN THE AREA AND SUPPLEMENT THE LAND USES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE.
THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT ON THE WHOLE WAS NOT, HEY, WE NEED TO COMPLETELY SHIFT AWAY FROM OFFICE.
WE NEED TO LEAVE THAT PART OF LEGACY IN THE PAST.
IT WAS JUST WE'VE GOT MORE OFFICE SPACE THAN WE NEED.
WE NEED TO SUPPLEMENT THAT WITH OTHER USES TO START TO BUILD OUT THE AREA.
ONE USE THAT WAS MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND IT WAS MENTIONED IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.
SO I WANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TWO IS WE HEARD A LOT OF COMPANIES SAYING, WE HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE OF PLANO WHEN WE BRING ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH LARGE CONFERENCE SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE.
SO WE'RE LOSING THOSE FOLKS TO OTHER CITIES.
SOMETHING LIKE A LARGER CONFERENCE CENTER, NOT SOMETHING NECESSARILY CONNECTED TO A HOTEL, BUT SOMETHING LARGER THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE THOSE LARGE EVENTS.
BUT SIMILAR TO THAT, BUT IT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF VENUE OR A DIFFERENT BUILDING, SOMETHING LIKE A MULTI PURPOSE VENUE WHERE YOU COULD HAVE LIVE EVENTS, WHERE YOU COULD HAVE COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND BRING PEOPLE IN FROM OUTSIDE THE GENERAL AREA.
SO THAT COULD BE ONE BUILDING, ONE VENUE, COULD BE MULTIPLE BUILDINGS, MULTIPLE VENUES, BUT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY SEVERAL FOLKS WHO WE INTERVIEWED AS SOMETHING THAT LEGACY COULD USE TO DISTINGUISH COMPARED TO WHAT'S THERE TODAY.
SIMILAR TO THAT, INCREASE HOTEL OPTIONS.
AGAIN, WHEN SOME OF THESE COMPANIES ARE BRINGING IN THEIR EXECUTIVE TEAMS, THEY OFTEN PUT THEM UP IN HOTELS.
THE OPTIONS THERE ARE SEEN AS LIMITED, OR IN SOME CASES DATED.
SO THERE'S A DESIRE TO MAINTAIN WHAT WAS THERE, BUT TO AUGMENT THAT WITH MORE, THAT COULD ALSO PERHAPS INCLUDE ITS OWN SMALL CONFERENCE SPACE.
IN ADDITION TO THE CORPORATE ASPECT OF IT, MAKING LEGACY MORE OF A DESTINATION WITH A BOUTIQUE, HOTELS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS SEEN AS LACKING WITHIN THE PORTFOLIO OF THE AREA.
THERE HAVE BEEN, OF COURSE, SOME SUCCESSFUL RENOVATIONS IN THE AREA, SO THERE WAS A DESIRE TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING WITH THAT, SINCE THAT'S NOT ONLY THE FUTURE LEGACY, BUT, POTENTIALLY THE FUTURE OF THE WHOLE CITY IS TO GET INTO A REDEVELOPMENT MODE THAT WOULD INVOLVE IDENTIFYING ISSUES BETWEEN WHERE THE CODE IS AND HOW THE CODE HANDLES DEVELOPMENT VERSUS WHAT'S ON THE GROUND AND WHAT THE MARKET IS PUSHING FOR, IN SOME CASES, IT MAY BE MORE OFFICE.
IT MAY BE MORE RESEARCH FACILITIES, IT MAY BE RESIDENTIAL BUT BUILDING IN SOME PROCESSES THAT WOULD PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY, WHETHER THAT BE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, SIDEWALKS, LANDSCAPE BUFFERS, ALL THINGS THAT, OF COURSE, IT'S A GREAT TIME TO LOOK AT THAT SINCE THE CODE IS BEING REWRITTEN.
LASTLY, PLANO'S ECONOMIC INCENTIVE POSITION, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT NEWS TO ANYONE THAT THAT'S AN AREA WHERE THERE'S A BIT OF A DISADVANTAGE COMPARED TO SOME OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE MORE FUNDING THAT THEY CAN DEVOTE TO THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, THE FOLKS WHO WE INTERVIEWED WERE WELL AWARE OF THAT.
AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO WHAT WENDY SAID, THERE'S A DESIRE TO INVEST IN THE AREA.
THEY'RE HERE, THEY WANT TO STAY IN THE AREA.
BUT WE DID HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE FUNDING GAPS THAT EXIST WHEN YOUR TENANTS IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT ARE DEMANDING A LOT OF THINGS TO SIGN LEASES.
THEY WANT A LOT OF INVESTMENT UP FRONT FROM THE BUILDING OWNERS, BUT THE BUILDING OWNERS HAVE BEEN LOSING EQUITY BECAUSE OFFICE SPACE ISN'T IN DEMAND AND ISN'T AS HIGHLY VALUED AS IT WAS.
THERE'S A LOT OF HIDDEN COSTS, PARTICULARLY REVOLVING AROUND REFINISHING EXISTING BUILDINGS.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE ENERGY CODE, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT MAKING CHANGES AND UPGRADES TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO BRING BUILDINGS UP TO CODE.
AND A LOT OF THAT DROVE THE INCENTIVE CONVERSATION.
SO AS WE TRANSITION AWAY FROM THE KEY TAKEAWAYS TO WHAT'S NEXT THAT IS
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DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD THAT THE CITY CAN WRAP THEIR ARMS AROUND AND START TO MARRY UP WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.>> THANK YOU. SO COUNCIL WANT TO FIRST THANK WENDY CHAVEZ AND THE FREE SNICLS TEAM FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS.
THIS WAS A REALLY QUICK PROJECT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ASSEMBLE 18 COMPANIES IN LEGACY AREA.
OVER 50% OF THE LAND OWNERS IN LEGACY PARTICIPATED WITH THIS WITH EITHER WITH A SURVEY COMPONENT OR WITH AN IN PERSON INTERVIEW.
SO I APPRECIATE BILL'S WORK ON THIS.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF OUR COMPANIES HERE IN PLANO.
THIS WAS A TIME OF COMMITMENT WE HAD TO ASK OF THEM OF EACH ONE OF THEM TO DEDICATE TO GIVE US INPUT ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN LEGACY.
MANY OF THESE PROPERTY OWNERS AND COMPANIES HAVE SPENT AND INVESTED HEAVILY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE FRIDA LEE'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY HERE IN LEGACY.
SO THESE ARE SEVERAL DECADES OF INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WHEN WE MADE THAT INITIAL CORE QUEST, THESE COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS INVESTMENT IN THIS SURVEY, THEY WERE EXCITED.
THEY WERE EXCITED TO SEE THE CITY BEING PROACTIVE AND BEING ENGAGING AND HEARING WHAT THEIR INPUT IS GOING TO BE FOR BRINGING THEIR EMPLOYEES BACK, MAKING THE FUN ENVIRONMENT, AND CONTINUE TO MAKE LEGACY REALLY THE PREMIER BUSINESS DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING NEXT STAGE OF OUR OUTREACH, WE'RE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING UP IN GIVING THE COMPANIES A RECAP OF WHAT YOU ALL HEARD TONIGHT.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS YOU PROBABLY HEARD SOME THINGS IN THE SURVEY THAT ARE THINGS THAT CHRISTIAN AND I IF WE WERE IN THOSE MEETINGS, WOULD SAY, WELL, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THIS.
SO WE HAVE THIS TOOL ALREADY AVAILABLE.
WE WERE NOT IN THOSE MEETINGS TO BE HEAVILY CONFIDENTIAL FOR THE COMPANIES.
AND SO WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT OUR NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT HAS LAUNCHED THAT YOU ALL WORKED ON REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR COMPANIES.
AND WITH THE DEPARTMENT, WE'LL ALSO ENGAGE THEM ABOUT THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE REWRITE ON SOME OF THESE ASPECTS THAT WILL BE COMING UP NEXT FEW MONTHS WITH CHRISTINA'S TEAM.
SO WE'LL DO SOME OUTREACH, CIRCLE BACK WITH THE COMPANIES.
WE'LL ALSO DO THE PHASE 1 PRELIMINARY WORK THAT WE'LL LOOK AT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO WITHIN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET, THERE'S FUNDING ALLOCATED TOWARDS DOING A NEXT PHASE.
WHAT THIS PHASE WOULD BE WOULD BE VERY HIGH LEVEL ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING CONDITIONS.
WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE THE INPUT WE HEARD FROM THE COMPANIES, THEN WE COME IN AND ACTUALLY DO SOME INITIAL ANALYSIS ON LAND USE, ON UTILITIES, ON TRANSPORTATION ON SOME OF THE ASPECTS THAT CAME UP IN THIS, JUST TO SEE WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO TAKE A FURTHER LOOK IN THE FUTURE.
ONCE WE GET THAT HIGH LEVEL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING CONDITIONS FOR THE LEGACY IN GRANITE PARK AREA, THEN WHAT WE ANTICIPATE IS ACTUALLY COMING BACK TO YOU COUNCIL, PRIOR TO THE NEXT CYCLE OF FUNDING TO LOOK AT A POTENTIAL MASTER PLAN THAT COUNCIL, YOU ALL WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OR NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH, AND WE COULD TAKE THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT AND TAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OFF THAT.
BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT FOR THIS, AND MARK, COUNCIL, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
I REALLY ENJOYED LISTENING TO THE SYNOPSIS OF THE SURVEY.
I THINK A LOT OF THE COMMENTS FROM OUR OFFICE OR BUSINESS RESIDENTS ARE VERY PRODUCTIVE.
THEY'RE VERY POSITIVELY PRODUCTIVE AND THEY'RE VERY GOOD FEEDBACKS.
AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO SUMMARIZE IT FOR US.
AND THANK YOU, DOUG, FOR DOING THIS.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT WITH REGARD TO YOUR RECOMMENDATION, ABOUT 75% OF THAT, I WAS NODDING MY HEAD GOING, THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
WE ARE COMPETING WITH SOME YOUNG CHICKS ON THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS, SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE OURSELVES A PERMANENT PART OF OUR BUSINESS AND REALLY CATER TO THEIR NEEDS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>> THANKS. COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE]
WERE THOSE RANKED IN ANY SIDE SORT OF ORDER? I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW EITHER WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM THE BUSINESSES OR JUST Y'ALL'S OPINION OF IF WE COULDN'T DO EVERYTHING, WHAT YOU THINK WOULD MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT, OR WHAT WE COULD GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK THAT WOULD MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE OFF OF THOSE KEY TAKEAWAYS.
>> YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT OR YOU WANT TO? BOTH CAN. [LAUGHTER]
>> I'LL TAKE A SHOT AT IT. BASED JUST ON THE VOLUME OF LET'S SAY TIMES THAT IT WAS MENTIONED, I'D SAY IT'S MORE SMALL THINGS OR LET'S SAY THE NON, REALLY EXCITING THINGS, LIKE INCREASED WALKABILITY.
THAT WAS SOMETHING WE HEARD ACROSS THE BOARD THAT THIS IS ONE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE YOU CAN MAKE TO MOVE LEGACY FROM THE '90S PARADIGM OF EVERYONE DRIVES IN AND EVERYONE DRIVES OUT TO MORE OF A COMPREHENSIVE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
[00:30:05]
AND THAT WOULD AGAIN, HAVE MULTIPLIER AND SPILLOVER EFFECTS WHERE IT MAKES IT A BETTER PLACE TO COME AND TO SPEND TIME.IT EXPANDS THAT LEGACY WEST MODEL WHERE YOU WANT TO COME AND JUST SPEND THE AFTERNOON AND WALK AROUND, IT EXPANDS THAT TO OTHER AREAS.
MAYBE NOT EVERYWHERE. SOME AREAS MIGHT RETAIN THAT IDENTITY AS A BUSINESS PARK OR AS A PLACE WHERE YOU COMMUTE IN AND OUT BUT MULTIPLYING THAT ENERGY THAT YOU GET FROM LEGACY WEST FROM SHOPS AT LEGACY IS PROBABLY THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS AS WE WERE TALKING TO THEM.
WALKABILITY, IT WASN'T NECESSARILY JUST GO ADD SIDEWALKS EVERYWHERE.
IN SOME CASES, IT WAS LIKE, THINK ABOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF LAND USES THAT CREATE MORE OF A WALKABLE ENVIRONMENT.
LIKE I SAID, THERE'S SOME BUSINESSES THAT YOU'RE REALLY CLOSE TO THE SHOPS AT LEGACY.
THERE'S OTHERS IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS WAS AN INTERESTING THING FOR ME TAKEAWAY, BECAUSE AS WE LOOK AT THE WHOLE CITY, AND THEN WE THINK OF LEGACY GRANITE PARK AS THIS KIND OF ZONE.
FOR YOU AS A CITY, IT'S THIS CLUSTER OF BUSINESSES.
BUT REALLY, WHEN YOU TALK TO THE BUSINESSES, EAST AND WEST ARE VERY DIFFERENT.
IF YOU'RE ON THE OUTSKIRTS, IF YOU ARE REALLY WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF LEGACY WEST, IT'S VERY EASY.
BUT YOU CAN BE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THAT, AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE A MILE OR TWO AWAY BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO GET IN YOUR CAR AND DRIVE.
IN SOME OF THAT, I THINK IT IS THINKING ABOUT FLEXIBILITY OF USES THAT HELP CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT.
>> THANK YOU. FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT IS, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS SOME CONFLICTING COMMENTS REGARDING THE WALKABILITY GREEN SPACE AND THEN THE DENSITY.
SOME PEOPLE SAID, WE DON'T WANT MORE APARTMENTS.
WE WANT MORE GREEN SPACE, BUT THEN WE WANT WALKABILITY.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE WANT THIS MORE URBAN SPACE, AND THEN WE SAY WE WANT MORE GREEN SPACE, WAS THE GREEN SPACE MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMMED GREEN SPACE, BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE LEGACY HAS A LOT OF GREEN SPACE.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF GREEN. THERE'S A LOT OF TREES.
WHEN THEY SAY THEY WANT GREEN SPACE, IS IT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, KALEIDOSCOPE PARK? LIKE THEY'RE WANTING IT TO BE SOMETHING MORE SPECIAL WITH ART? WHAT ARE THEY WANTING?
IT'S MORE OF A PROGRAMMED USE OF GREEN SPACE OR A PARK THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY USE.
PEOPLE ENJOYED THE TREES AND THE LANDSCAPING AND THE SETBACK.
BUT SOMETIMES, AGAIN, I'M A PLANNER, SO I THINK IT'S ALL VERY WALKABLE.
BUT STILL IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER, I THINK IT'S MORE OF A PROGRAM SPACE.
IT'S MORE OF LIKE, WE LIKE THE GREEN.
I DIDN'T HEAR LET'S DENSIFY ALL OF THIS.
THAT WAS NOT IT. WE LIKE THE GREEN SPACE, WE LIKE THE OPEN SPACE.
>> BUT THERE ARE INFILL PROJECTS THAT COULD PROBABLY HAPPEN.
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE HEARD MIXED USE AS A PRODUCT THAT PEOPLE WANT.
I THINK LIKE I SAID, GOING BACK TO THE NUANCE TO LOOK, WHICH WAS GLAD TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MAY BE A POTENTIAL OF LOOKING AT IT A LITTLE FURTHER BECAUSE MAKES USE MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE EVERYWHERE, OR HOUSING MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE.
BUT IN SOME PLACES, IT WOULD BE PERFECTLY FINE BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT.
YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK IN ALMOST A FINER GRAIN THAN JUST THAT MAP THAT I SHOWED. DOES THAT HELP?
>> ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER PRINCE WAS SAYING ABOUT RANKING PREFERENCES BY A NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS, DID YOU GET A SENSE OF HOW THOSE RANKINGS BROKE DOWN BY AREA, LIKE WHAT THE LEGACY CORPORATE FOLKS SAID VERSUS THE SHOPS AT LEGACY?
>> YES. WE HAVE ALL THE DETAILED DATA WITH EVERY PERSON WE INTERVIEWED.
YOU KNOW, WE KNEW WHERE THEY WERE, WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED, AND WE CITED ON THE MAP AND SO IT IS DIFFERENT.
I MEAN, THESE WERE JUST SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS AS A GENERAL THREAD.
BUT I DO THINK TAKING A DEEPER DIVE AND LOOKING AT WHERE THAT EXACTLY WAS LOCATED ON THE MAP AND WHERE SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK WAS WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
>> YES, WE DO HAVE ALL THE DETAILED NOTES OF ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY ASK US TO BE CONFIDENTIAL, BUT WE DID TRY TO PRESENT,
[00:35:02]
WE'RE ASKING THIS AS A THIRD PARTY TO BE ABLE TO ASK THIS INFORMATION SO THAT WE FELT LIKE WE COULD GET VERY HONEST FEEDBACK.>> OF COURSE. THIS SUMMARY IS VERY HELPFUL.
CAN WE GET A COPY OF THE REPORT WITH THE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THE COPY THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE, I BELIEVE, WE'LL HAVE THE RAW SURVEY DATA THAT WE GOT TO, WHICH IS SEVERAL DOZEN SLIDES, SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO NECESSARILY SPEND TIME.
>> I WOULD PREFER THE POWERPOINT RATHER THAN A WRITTEN SUMMARY.
>> WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU, MAYOR, COUNSEL.
I'D LIKE 1,000 PAGE VERSION, PLEASE.
>> THERE'LL BE A LOT OF BLANK PAGES IN BETWEEN, BUT WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WE ARE PLANNING ON MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY.
AGAIN. NOW THAT WE KNOW THIS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S OUT THERE AND WHAT OUR CONSTRAINTS MAY BE FOR CONSIDERING ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE.
THE PHASE 2 OR PHASE 1 WILL BE DUG KIND OF GOING BACK AND DOING THAT ADDITIONAL STUDY.
WHEN WE HAVE THAT, THESE TWO THINGS WILL MARRY TOGETHER TO PRESENT A PICTURE, AND THEN COUNSEL CAN MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT FUTURE STUDIES.
THAT'S OUR INTENT AND WITH THAT, AGAIN, THANK YOU, FREESE AND NICHOLS. THIS WAS FANTASTIC.
AGAIN, HELPFUL FOR US TO KEEP ASSESSING WHERE WE'RE STRONG AND WHERE WE CAN GROW, AND WE'LL KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT ITEM IS STORM DEBRIS CLEANUP RECORD. HELLO, ABBY.
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. HOW ARE YOU ALL? I'M ABBY OWENS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THAT WAS DECIDED ON MAY 28TH, AND THIS STORM CAME THROUGH ON MAY 28TH.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. OKAY, THIS IS FUN.
I JUST TOOK A FEW OF OUR PHOTOS OF THE EVENT THAT WE HAD.
WE ALL USED CARTOGRAPH IN BOTH PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS.
WE TRIED TO HAVE OUR STAFF TAKE AS MANY PHOTOS AS THEY COULD, AND THERE WAS OVER 2000 THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH.
I THINK THESE ARE A PRETTY GOOD HIGH LEVEL PICTURE OF WHAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH EVERY DAY FROM THE MOMENT THAT THAT STORM HIT.
FOR US, WE REALLY FOCUSED ON IN PUBLIC WORKS, CLEARING THE RIGHT OF WAY AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS ACCESS TO GET TO ALL THE HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.
BUT I COULDN'T BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK ALL THE SUPPORT FROM PARKS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
I MEAN, IT REALLY WAS A TRUE TEAM EFFORT FROM THE MOMENT THAT THAT STORM ROLLED THROUGH.
THANK YOU. HERE'S JUST A QUICK TIMELINE OVERVIEW.
MAY 28TH THAT STORM ROLLED THROUGH A LITTLE BIT BEFORE 5:50 AM.
LUCKILY, ALL OF OUR STAFF USUALLY REPORT BY 6:00 AM.
BY 630, WE ALREADY HAD CREWS OUT IN VARIOUS TRUCKS WITH CHAINSAWS, JUST RESPONDING AND GOING TO CERTAIN AREAS.
ON THE 29TH, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OF THE BUSINESSES, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE OF DOUG AND PETER'S GREAT RELATIONSHIPS.
WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A SECONDARY DEBRIS SITE FOR US.
WE INSTANTLY KNEW WITH THE VOLUME THAT WE'D RECEIVED THAT OUR NORMAL PROCESS OF TAKING DEBRIS TO CUSTER TRANSFER STATION AND GRINDING IT FOR TEXAS PURE PRODUCTS WAS NOT GOING TO WORK.
THIS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN WE COULD HANDLE.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT PROPERTY IDENTIFIED, AND THE LEASE AGREEMENT WAS ALREADY DRAFTED AND READY SAME DAY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
STARTING JUNE 4TH, WE WERE ABLE TO START DELIVERING DEBRIS TO THAT SITE, WHICH WAS HUGE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT IN LINES AT CUSTER, PLUS IT GAVE US THAT EXTRA SITE WHERE WE COULD DO GRINDING AND HAULING.
JUNE 10TH IS WHEN CITY MANAGER IRIELSON CAME TO YOU ALL AND ASKED FOR AUTHORIZATION FOR RAINY DAY FUNDS, SO WE COULD USE A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR TO HELP US WITH PICKUP AND THAT WAS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US THOUGH.
EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE REAR LOADERS, AND WE DO HAVE A YARD DEBRIS TEAM, AND WE PULLED OUR STREETS TEAM, TO WORK ON THESE.
WE REALLY DID NEED THAT ASSISTANCE OF THE CONTRACTOR, AND WE COULD NOT HAVE COMPLETED IT, AND THE RATE THAT WE DID WITHOUT THAT.
JUNE 17TH IS WHEN WE FINALLY COMPLETED ALL OF THE CALLS AND REQUESTS THAT WE HAD RECEIVED.
IT WAS JUST OVER 1,200 LOCATIONS FOR SOME TREE OR DEBRIS REMOVAL AND UP UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE WERE STILL WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE THAT HAD GONE DOWN IN DRAINAGE EASEMENTS, AND THAT SORT OF DRAINAGE CREWS WERE WORKING ON THOSE.
JULY 15TH IS WHEN WE COMPLETED THAT FIRST SWEEP, SO THAT WAS BASICALLY SIX WEEKS.
IT TOOK US TO GET THROUGH THE ENTIRE CITY, AND WE COLLECTED JUST OVER 87,000 CUBIC YARDS.
BY THE 16TH, WE STARTED OUR SECOND SWEEP AND WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT BY JULY 29TH.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE OUR GRIND SITES STILL UP AND GOING.
THE CONTRACTOR PROBABLY HAS ANOTHER TWO MORE DAYS OF GRINDING ON SITE, AND THEN ABOUT 10 DAYS TO HAUL ALL THE MATERIAL OFF SITE AT THAT MOMENT.
OUR LEASE EXPIRES AT THE END OF AUGUST, AND IT'S JUST IN TIME BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE'LL ACTUALLY FINISH EVERYTHING UP.
THIS ISN'T EVEN WHEN WE HAD ALL OF THE DEBRIS PICKED UP, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAD ALREADY STARTED IT BEING GROUND IN THE TOP LEFT CORNER.
[00:40:03]
WE COLLECTED JUST AROUND 100,000 CUBIC YARDS.JUST FOR REFERENCE, BECAUSE I'M NOT A SPATIAL PERSON, EITHER, IS ONE CUBIC YARD IS EQUAL TO A WASHING MACHINE, SO WE BASICALLY COLLECTED 100,000 WASHING MACHINES OVER A TWO MONTH PERIOD AND THAT'S A LOT.
ON A NORMAL YEAR, WE WOULD BASICALLY COLLECT ABOUT 22,000 TONS OF YARD DEBRIS, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF WHAT THIS IS.
WE PICKED UP IN TWO MONTHS THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD PICK UP AN ENTIRE YEAR.
WE DO STILL HAVE SOME PILES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND OUR OTHER PARKS DEPARTMENT.
IF THERE ARE DEBRIS PILES OUT THERE AND YOU'RE NOT SURE, YOU CAN ALWAYS REPORT IT TO US.
BUT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TEAM, AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE MOVED TO SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND PAID COLLECTIONS.
WE PICKED UP EVERYTHING THAT WAS BROWN, SO WHAT'S SHOWING UP NOW IS GREEN, AND SO PEOPLE WOULD NEED TO CONTACT US TO GO AHEAD AND SCHEDULE THAT SPECIAL PICK, WHICH WOULD BE AT A CHARGE.
BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'VE ASKED IF PEOPLE STILL SEE PILES. THEY'RE NOT SURE.
YOU CAN TAKE A PICTURE, REPORT IT TO US AND FIX IT, BUT YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT PUBLIC WORKS OR SOLID ENVIRONMENTAL WASTE SERVICES AT BOTH OF THESE NUMBERS AND WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH PARKS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES TEAM TO IDENTIFY WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS. THAT WAS MY HIGH LEVEL.
>> WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ON YOUR NEW ROLE.
THIS IS A GREAT INITIATION, AND NOW YOU'RE READY FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO COME.
THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK.
WHAT I WANT TO ASK YOU IS, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM ALL OF THIS, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO DO DIFFERENTLY TO BE PREPARED FOR EITHER THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN OR SOMETHING WORSE TO HAPPEN? BECAUSE LOOKING AT THAT, IT TOOK US ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO RECOVER FROM THIS.
THAT WASN'T EVEN A REAL TORNADO.
IT WAS BAD, BUT IT WAS PRETTY CLOSE.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE COULD GET SOMETHING MUCH WORSE.
I THINK WE WANT TO BE PREPARED TO MANAGE SOMETHING WORSE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WE NEED TO DO DIFFERENT IN THE FUTURE, OR WE NEED TO FROM THE COUNSEL STANDPOINT, HELP YOU SO YOU CAN BE PREPARED FOR SOMETHING HOPEFULLY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, BUT THAT WE'RE READY?
>> I'LL SAY A COUPLE OF PIECES WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED IS WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING FOR A SECONDARY DEBRIS SITE OPTION MOVING FORWARD.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING A BUILDING ON THIS LOCATION, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RESTORE THE PARKING LOT, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAD TO DO AT PLANO CENTER BEFORE.
WE'VE ALREADY STARTED IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS NOW WITH TCQ.
WE HAVE THAT UNDER OUR BELTS AND KNOW WHAT TO GO NEXT.
BUT WHAT WE NOTICED IN THIS ONE IS THE DEBRIS PLAN WAS REALLY MADE FOR A TORNADO.
WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS YOU WOULD INSTANTLY KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THAT FMA THRESHOLD OR WHATEVER THE ASSISTANCE THRESHOLD IS, AND YOU WOULD CALL IN A DEBRIS MONITOR.
AT THAT MOMENT, THE DEBRIS MONITOR COMES IN.
THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRACKING DEBRIS FROM THE MOMENT IT'S PICKED UP TO THE MOMENT IT'S DISPOSED OF.
AND IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT PROCESS, AND THAT'S WHEN YOU WOULD THEN SEEK FUNDS.
THAT'S A COUPLE OF THINGS, AND WE'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
I THINK THE STORM MAP WE DID WAS REALLY GOOD.
IT HELPED PEOPLE KNOW WHERE WE WERE GOING.
BUT WE DID ALSO LEARN THAT WE WILL NO LONGER PUT OUT POSSIBLE TIME FRAMES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD REPEATEDLY IS YOU SAID YOU'D BE HERE IN TWO WEEKS OR THREE WEEKS.
WHAT HAPPENED IS BECAUSE THE DEBRIS WAS DOWN FOR EVEN TWO WEEKS, MORE AND MORE RESIDENTS WOULD PUT OUT OTHER STUFF THAT MAYBE WE HADN'T SEEN THAT WAS IN THEIR BACKYARDS, AND SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD TAKE US ONLY A FEW WEEKS TO GET THROUGH TOOK US MUCH LONGER BECAUSE WELL, THE PILES THERE, I'LL JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE.
IN A FMA SITUATION, THEY WOULD NOT PICK UP ANYTHING THAT'S GREEN, PERIOD IT WOULD ONLY BE WHAT'S BROWN.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD REAL QUICK, COUNCILWOMAN, THE TOTAL COSTS THAT WE'RE SEEING FOR THE CITY IS ABOUT $2.5 MILLION DOLLAR.
A MILLION OF THAT YOU ALL HAVE AUTHORIZED OR ROUGHLY 1 MILLION OF THAT IS COMING FROM THE RAINY DAY FUND.
ABOUT 1.2 IS COMING OUT OF THE SOLID WASTE FUND, AND THE REST IS GENERAL FUND AND OTHERS.
WE STILL AT $2.5 MILLION, YOU SEE THE LEVEL OF EFFORT THAT WE HAD TO HAVE.
THE FEDERAL THRESHOLD IS UP CLOSER TO $5 MILLION THAT WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO HANDLE ON OUR OWN.
SO IF THAT THRESHOLD, IF WE COME UP 4.9 AND THE THRESHOLDS AT FIVE, 100% OF IT GETS FUNDED BY THE CITY OF PLANO.
OUR RAINY DAY FUND RIGHT NOW HAS ABOUT 4.9 IN IT.
IF WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE INCIDENT, THEN WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT AND WHAT WE HEARD FROM OUR CITIZENS, AND I KNOW YOU ALL HEARD TOO, IS FASTER, QUICKER, CLEANER, AND I WOULD ECHO YOUR STATEMENTS THAT THE STAFF DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
BUT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON OUR AFTER ACTION OF THIS.
WE DO KNOW THAT DEBRIS REMOVAL IS A BIG ISSUE AND WE DO KNOW THAT THAT IS AN EXPECTATION, BUT TO YOUR POINT, THERE COULD BE MORE THAN ONE.
[00:45:01]
IT COULD BE WORSE. THERE'S A LOT THAT WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR.FOR US, I THINK HAVING A MORE ROBUST RAINY DAY FUND, AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT LATER TO ME IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WAS ALSO SOMETHING THAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THIS AS THE CITY MANAGER.
>> IS THERE SOMETHING REGARDING THE RAINY DAY FUND? IT TOOK US TILL JUNE 10TH TO GET THAT AUTHORIZATION.
IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU WOULD NEED THAT SOONER?
>> I THINK THAT WE COULD, AND WE COULD CALL AN EMERGENCY MEETING OR WE COULD TALK ABOUT CERTAIN STIPULATIONS THAT YOU ALLOW ME TO USE FOR RATIFICATION TO COME BACK UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
BUT I THINK THAT IT ALWAYS NEEDS TO COME BACK TO THE COUNSEL.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT WAS PREPARED WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ALWAYS A COUNCIL DECISION.
BUT I THINK TO YOUR POINT, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
BUT TRULY, GETTING THE STREETS CLEARED WAS THE FIRST AND FOREMOST ISSUE.
WE GOT A LOT OF OUR WILD LAND FOLKS OUT IN FIRE GOT A LOT OF CHAINSAW TIME OUT THERE IN PLANO WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS GREW.
BUT WE THINK THAT THE FASTER WE CAN GET CONSULTANTS IN, THE FASTER WE CAN GET SUPPLEMENTAL WORK IN, THE FASTER WE CAN ENGAGE IN THOSE CONTRACTS AND HAVE AUTHORITY TO ENGAGE IN THOSE THE FASTER WE GET TO RESTORING THE COMMUNITY.
>> ONE MORE QUESTION. IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO THOSE CONTRACTORS READY TO GO SO THAT WE KNOW THIS IS WHO WE CALL.
THEY'RE ON SPEED DOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE ONES SO THAT'S NOT A WAY TO HAPPEN, NOW WE HAVE TO THERE'S A CONTRACT?
>> WE ACTUALLY HAVE THIS CONTRACT IN PLACE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A CONTRACTOR THAT WE HAVE.
BUT AGAIN, ON THE AFTER ACTION, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND REVIEW HOW THEY PERFORMED AS WELL, SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT.
WE CAN POSSIBLY HAVE MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS BECAUSE AGAIN, IF THE BIGGER THE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE AND THE MORE AUTHORITY, WE HAVE COULD BE ATTACKING IT FROM NORTH AND SOUTH SIMULTANEOUSLY, EAST AND WEST SIMULTANEOUSLY.
WE CAN BRING IN MORE CONTRACTORS.
THAT'S PART OF THE RESPONSE WE HAVE, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS COST CONSCIOUS.
BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE AFTER ACTION THINGS THAT I KNOW, ABBY AND HER TEAM AND SAM AND KERRY AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE LOOKING AT AS WELL.
WE'LL BRING BACK SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN WE GET TO COMPLETE AFTER ACTION.
>> THANK YOU. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A QUESTION FOR ABBY OR FOR MARK, BUT REGARDING THAT $5 MILLION FMA REIMBURSEMENT THRESHOLD, THE THOUGHT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THIS WINDSTORM DID NOT JUST HIT PLANO.
OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW RICHARDSON HAD A SIGNIFICANT CLEANUP EFFORT.
I'M SURE OTHER AREA CITIES HAD A SIGNIFICANT CLEANUP EFFORT.
IS THERE ANY WAY EITHER THIS TIME OR IN PREPARING FOR A THEORETICAL NEXT TIME THAT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES OR COUNTIES OR THE COG OR SOMEBODY THAT WE COULD AGGREGATE OUR CLEANUP EXPENDITURES OR EVEN COORDINATE OUR CLEANUP EFFORT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT BECOMES ELIGIBLE FOR FMA REIMBURSEMENT.
>> IT'S ON A COUNTY BASIS, COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE CHALLENGE IS THAT DALLAS COUNTY HAS A DIFFERENT THRESHOLD THAN WE HAVE.
AS THIS HIT, AS YOU REMEMBER, WE WERE THE HARDEST HIT IN PLANO, AND THEN IT MOVED SOUTH.
THE COUNTY TO THE SOUTH OF US HAD A FMA I CLAIM. WE DID NOT.
THE CHALLENGE IS IF WE CAN GET MOTHER NATURE TO PARTICIPATE AND AGREE WITH US, WE CAN PLAN THIS OUT IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR US.
I'M JOKING, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.
>> ABBY, I APPRECIATE YOUR HOLDING UP UNDER TRIAL BY FIRE.
WHEN WE PUT FOLKS IN NEW POSITIONS, WE LIKE TO ROW THE BOOK AT HIM.
CHIEF DRAIN, I THINK WE HIRED HIM ON AS CHIEF JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
AS YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB THROUGHOUT THIS, AND I KEPT URGING FOLKS PATIENCE BECAUSE WHATEVER OUR METHODOLOGY WAS IN THE ORDER OF OUR CLEANUP, SOMEONE SOMEWHERE HAD TO BE DEAD LAST.
ARE THERE ANY ALONG THE LINES WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PRINCE'S QUESTION? ARE THERE ANY LESSON LEARNED FROM THE ORDER IN WHICH WE CLEANED UP, WHICH WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO APPLY IN THE FUTURE.
HOPEFULLY, NOT IN A WORSE SITUATION, BUT WHETHER IT'S BETTER, WORSE, OR THE SAME, OBVIOUSLY, CLEARING THE ROADS IS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.
>> WE STARTED ON THE EAST SIDE BECAUSE THAT WAS BY FAR THE WORST HIT SIDE, AND WE THOUGHT THAT THAT MADE THE MOST SENSE AT THAT MOMENT.
FROM WHAT I'VE RECEIVED FROM THE MANY CALLS AND E MAILS BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE REST OF THE TEAM IS PEOPLE REALLY JUST WANTED US TO STICK TO A TIME FRAME.
IF WE WOULDN'T HAVE PUT OUT A TIME FRAME, THEY SAID THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN BETTER.
BUT BEING TOLD, OH, SORRY, IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER WEEK, IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER WEEK WAS EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING.
BUT WE HAVE DISCUSSED, DO WE DO ZONES INSTEAD? WOULD THAT BE A BETTER WAY TO APPROACH IT? THAT'S HOW WE DO THE CLEANUP SIDE OF IT.
I'M SORRY, THE REMOVAL AND GETTING IT TO THE RIGHT AWAY IS NOT NECESSARILY THE PICK UP SIDE.
BUT WE'RE LIMITED BY THE NUMBER OF TRUCKS AND STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
MAYBE AS WE LOOK AT ADDITIONAL CONTRACTS, THAT COULD BE SOMETHING WE LOOK AT TOO.
AGAIN, OUR DEBRIS PLAN WAS REALLY MEANT FOR THE TORNADO, WHICH HOPEFULLY WOULD ONLY JUST BE LIKE A STREAK THAT YOU'D BE DOING, NOT 72 SQUARE MILES, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'LL INCLUDE.
>> NO, IT WAS MORE OF A HURRICANE THAN A TORNADO.
[00:50:03]
>> THANK YOU, ABBY. NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 5, CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDAS.
ANY ITEM COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE?
>> REMOVAL OF ITEM I AS AN ISRAEL. NO RELATION.
>> COUNSEL, NEXT COUNCIL ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION, FUTURE AGENDAS.
WE'LL TAKE A RECESS ON 27TH. THANKS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.